Plan the Stress Out of Christmas

It was the year that I decided that I was going to be absolutely intentional about keeping it a sacred Christmas. I had my Bible readings focused on the Christ story, I bought an Advent devotional, and I carefully selected a play list that was filled with songs that kept my heart focused on our Savior.

I was doing great.

Until I realized I was all out of Scotch tape.

The night before our Bible Study Christmas ornament exchange.

And that’s when I lost my Jesus.

You are going to get a lot of great advice about keeping your heart in the right place when it comes to preparing for Christmas. Which is great.

But I’ve come to find if I also keep my head in the right space, and make some smart decisions as early as possible, that goes a long way to giving my heart some protection. So here are a few practical things to think through now before Christmas hits you in the face.

Talk to friends and family early.

The earlier you make plans, the easier it is to see potential problems and family conflicts. (This is especially important with in-laws and step-families.)

Set up and send out the dates and times of when you will be celebrating early so everyone has the information. You may even consider sending a “Save the Date” if you have a larger family (or a forgetful family.)

Let other people help – no really – let them help.

There are no awards for people who pull off a holiday with no help (only sore feet and bitter attitudes.) If you are the one who is hosting the holiday, let others help (and if you are shy on offers, feel free to ask!) Here are a couple of ways to make it a family – and friends – affair.

What Can I Bring?

Use www.signupgenius.com to create a list of all the dishes you need that others can bring. Be specific. (You don’t want to say “Salad” and have three people bring chicken salad.) Think of it this way – when people choose what they can bring, they will bring their “specialty”. Having a table of everyone’s best foods is a GREAT way have the best meal of the year.

Create a Help List

For years, I would have people show up at my house for a holiday, and the first question they would ask is “How can I help?” The problem? All the things that could have been done with little prep were already done.

Now, I think backwards.

When I create the holiday to do list, I purposely think of tasks that guests who are just showing up can do. As I’m listing all the things that need to get accomplished, I put the word “Help” next to anything that is easy for someone else to do. Here are some examples:

Set up cheese and cracker plate (cheese is in the fridge and crackers are on the red hutch. Feel free to slice the cheese or leave it in blocks with a cheese knife.)

Set the table (everything is on there!)

Set up the kids table

Walk the dog (yes – I put this on the list. We’ve had several more introverted guests volunteer. And Jake our puggle? Loves it!)

Fill the cooler with drinks and ice (can you tell we’re pretty informal around here)

Be in charge of the group photo

Mash the potatoes

Take the trash out

Take the recycling out

Find Christmas music on Pandora

Cut up veggies for the veggie tray

Build Limits

Talk to your family early about limits. Do you want to put a limit on the number of gifts? The amount of the gifts? Do a gift exchange? Maybe not exchanging at all?

We have a lot of young adults in the family and they can’t all afford gifts for everyone, so we use www.elfster.com (a virtual way of choosing names from a hat), and keep it affordable for everyone.

Don’t go to the Store (unless you really love to!)

My anxiety level goes up several notches whenever I need to go to the mall between October 15th and December 31st. I know that I’ll probably have to make one trip there (holding my breath until I can get away from the crowds –I don’t like crowds..) but for everything else, I’ve found ways around it.

Amazon – Nuff’ said. I have Amazon Prime (one of the best investments I’ve made,) that I use to purchase many of our gifts, and use Prime Pantry to get non-perishables for cooking delivered right to my door.

Google Express – this is how I order all my perishables for the big day. (Who are we kidding? We end up celebrating for three days…)

Etsy – I have bought the best, thoughtful, gifts here. If your child (or parent) is into it, someone on Etsy is into it. A couple of years ago, I bought my mom a rock that was shaped and painted like a VW Bug. (OK – it sounds weird, but my mom had a Bug for thirty years, and the rock was super cute.) My mom loved it. Just loved it. That is not something that you could pick up on Amazon… Plus, supporting artists. Double win in my book.

Looking for encouragement to help you recover from that pesky problem of perfectionism? Today’s featured book is Get Yourself Organized for Christmas. You can enter to win a signed copy by leaving a comment directly on Kathi’s blog. PLUS, you’ll also be entered into the grand prize drawing for the Wrapped In Grace gift package: signed copies of all five of our books, a $100 Visa gift card, and a bunch of other fun goodies. All winners will be announced Saturday, October 24th at http://www.WrappedInGrace.info.

Kathi Lipp is a national speaker and the author of fifteen books including Clutter Free, Hot Mama:12 Secrets to a Sizzling Hot Marriage, The Get Yourself Organized Project, The Husband Project and The Cure for the Perfect Life. She is a frequent guest on radio and TV and has been named Focus on the Family radio’s “Best of Broadcast”. She is the host of the popular podcast You’ve Got This with Kathi Lipp.

She and her husband Roger are the parents of young adults in San Jose, CA. Kathi speaks at conference across the country.

Kathi Lipp is the author of 17 books including Overwhelmed, Clutter Free, The Get Yourself Organized Project, The Husband Project, Happy Habits for Every Couple, and I Need Some Help Here – Hope for When Your Kids Don’t Go According to Plan. She is the host of Clutter Free Academy the Podcast! with Kathi Lipp and speaks at conferences across the US. Kathi is published with Revell Publishers and Harvest House Publishers.

She and her husband Roger are the parents of four young adults in San Jose, CA. When she’s not dating her husband or hanging out with her puggle Jake, Kathi is speaking at retreats, conferences and women’s events across the US.

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282 Comments

Noelle Van Vranken
on October 24, 2015 at 11:28 am

Agreed, fantastic ideas! Everything that I have read in this series has been so enlightening as a newlywed. I am looking forward to establishing new traditions with my husband and everything that I’ve read has gotten me thinking. Thank you to you and the ladies for your perspective! Very enlightening!

Thank you for reassuring me that some of the things I do to stay organized are good ideas! I am a big list maker, and it always helps to see things in writing and to be able to cross them off. Haven’t done the “helper” list, but a great idea for this year! Blessings to you this Christmas.

Great ideas!! I like to keep the children busy by using the paper disposable tablecloths and
they can draw Christmas decorations,etc. on the table before setting the table. They love
it and everyone participates and is busy.

Love this article. I especially like the idea of making a Help List. I either don’t think of everything I need help with or hate to ask. I think I will make the list and just lay it out so people can refer to it and decide for themselves what they want to do.

I asked my young coworker to help me learn Etsy and Pinterest yesterday after reading your thoughts. I’m bringing my laptop next week so she and I can have a learning session on our lunch break. This old dog can learn these new tricks no matter how un-tech-savvy I am. Thank you for your ministry!

We very seldom entertain at the holidays. We are usually guests, but I can see where your ideas for the help list could be used in our home for decorating, gift wrapping etc. to lessen my stress level and make the atmosphere more peaceful and enjoyable. Thank you.

The “Help” list is fantastic! I’d love to see more tips from the book. Thank you for sharing. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who has dreams of a “perfect” holiday season that don’t always come true!!

I also like the idea of a unique mission statement or goal for celebrating Christmas. Often we do lose the reason for the season, including us, well-intended believers in Christ! This year for me I think it is thanksgiving for what Christ has done, the power of His birth and His resurrection. Then hopefully I can hold fast to that goal and have it ground me in the midst of planning and festivities. Thanks Kathy!

There are some really great ideas for downsizing my stress. I love the list of things to offer people to do, and how to be specific as to what I want people to bring to the celebration. Over all a great help for me, to get simplified before Christmas. You know I LOVE Christmas but all these hairy details help me lose my joy. So if I can learn how to simplify, YAY.

What perfect timing! My husband and I have been talking about how we wanted to have a more calm holiday season. Love these ideas that will help make the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas peaceful and enjoyable instead of rushed and resented.

Every year I strive to start earlier and organize better. And every year, I end up a frazzled mess. There’s always so much to do that by the time Christmas actually arrives my family is calling me ‘Miss Gulch’ (that scary, bicycle riding, ToTo stealing woman from The Wizard of Oz). Yikes! Definitely NOT the kind of memories I want my family to have of our Christmas celebrations. So this year, I will try some of your suggestions… and Miss Gulch will not be on the guest list!

I would love this book!! Once Halloween is near I just start getting anxious because I know the holidays are near and will be here before I know it. I love how everything is decorated beautiful and smells so good. I try to relax but there is just so much I want to do like baking and taking the kids to see Christmas lights and do activities and go Christmas shopping. Yet, all I really want to do is sit on the couch and watch Christmas movies and somebody else do it all for me or it just all appear out of no where. All these big ideas that I think of or would like for my kids sometimes are out of our budget too. We try not to make Christmas about the presents and our kids are pretty good about only asking Santa for one or two gifts and they know that Christmas is Jesus’s birthday. But, I would love to make some kind of family tradition for our little family, not something that my husband or I did when we were little. I want to put faith back into our holidays and into our family as well.

This was a good blog for me to read! My desire and plan is to make November and December as free and joyful as possible. I’ve already handled #1 this morning!! So glad too, because now I know who will and who won’t be with us on my favorite holiday (Thanksgiving) and I no longer have the expectations I had yesterday. I’m disappointed, but I was amazed at how much better I feel to know it ahead of time than be surprised with it at the last minute. Now I am on to the other suggestions for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Thank you for covering this important subject in your blog! God send!

Hi Kathi!
I am all about planning, preparation, and organization…so I loved this post for the holidays! These are some awesome practical tips for being a little more prepared for a smoother get together. I especially love the one about writing the word “help” next to tasks on your list that someone else can do. I’ll be super busy and wishing I had help and then people always ask how they can help and suddenly I’m blank as soon as they ask…I can’t think of a thing. Thank you!

I am such a planner. I like to set the date early and get going on the planning. My mother in law on the other hand will decide the Friday before that she wants to do something that weekend. LOL we make room for her last minute plans but I always plan the big events/holidays. I am enjoying these blogs helps me fine tune my skills.

Thank you so much for the two website direct links (which I’d never heard of), and I would never have given Etsy a thought so thanks for that too! I’m always determined to have a stress free Christmas, but it hasn’t happened yet. I’m hoping this helps!

Such good ideas! I will have to investigate Amazon Prime so that I will have access to Prime Pantry(?) I think it was. That might be the prefect solution for getting the special foods my husband needs for his dietary needs wherever we are as we move from one campground to another throughout this great country we live in!

Amy, Thank you for writing this blog. Not only did I find a new way shop online using Etsy for a less stressful Christmas, but your personal intention of reading an advent devotional was a good reminder to me. Additionally, Becky Kelley’s music video was amazing…Where’s the line to see Jesus. So glad I read thru the posts of others to get extra inspiration. What a way to start the day. Truly appreciate your heart’s passion.

I love all of the ideas. I have not heard of many of the sites you noted. We’re going to try them out!
Thank you so much for your honesty. And in seeing the humor in the ‘error of our ways’.
God bless.
Julie

Holidays are my favorite time of the year but it gets side-tracked when I try to make it perfect for my family. I keep forgetting that nobody is perfect but our One True King. But, for some unknown reason, I always have a hard time remembering that….especially around the holidays. It truly is meant to be a time to worship the Lord for his gift of Jesus, and for our families to be together, but somewhere between Christmas Commercials and crowded parking lots, our calling of this amazing day gets turned into the Island of Misfit Toys. Thanks for your devotional today and for reminding us that it is normal to feel this way but there there is a better way to live out our Holidays. I would love to read your book to get more insight and help regarding the subject! Thank YOU! =)

It’s really hard for me to delegate tasks to other people because I’m a recovering perfectionist! But I’m really going to try this year, and am definitely going to make a list of things others can do to help out. Thanks for the great tip!

These are a lot of great resources and ideas! I’m pleased my in-laws have been doing a gift exchange for years! We even had a tech savvy brother- in- law make a way for us to post gift lists online so we have ideas what to buy!

Wonderful advise thank you!! I ll look at Etsy as I don’t like crowds either !! I try to go right when stores open and get out quickly !! Great ideas also for tasks others can do as they arrive to share the load and make them feel valued!

Definitely need help with perfectionism – the older and more tired I become, the worse my house looks like and I continue not to not begin clean up and organizing projects because I know I won’t have time to do them as perfect as I want them so things continue to stack up – is a vicious cycle!

Our family is large…& complicated. And the rush to get it ALL done is hard for me. We host Christmas dinner & love doing it. If only I wasn’t exhausted. What great ideas Kathi has. I am using them…especially this year. It’ll be a hard time..my first Christmas without my mom who passed away in May.

I love the idea of a Christmas mission statement. I really experienced the gift of our savior Jesus this past year and I can’t wait to celebrate His birth! Growing up Christmas was about shopping and wrapping and Santa and I’m just so thankful to have a heart now for Jesus. He makes everything better, including Christmas!

I usually say to guests that ask what can I do I say well really nothing, but thanks now I will now assign them a job when asked. I love the limits on gifts also we already are blessed with so much!!! And remember Jesus is the Reason for the season

Love the simple ideas to make the holidays less stressful. Thanks for sharing! I also love to play the song, “Where’s the line to see Jesus”, often during the holiday season. It’s a great reminder what the season is about and to take a step back.

Thank you Kathi for this particular blog I was so blessed by the information contained in it if you like I go through the same struggle every year and they really like the practical way in which you tackled the subject that all of us face praise the Lord for the gift He’s given you and I look forward to checking out your website and getting to know you better Lord bless thank you my sister in Christ!
Love, Dawn

The signupgenius is so cool – amd the elfster too – my adult children will think I’ve finally come into the 21st century 🙂 I also love the to-do lists for people as they arrive – people always ask and I’ve always tried to over-do so they wouldn’t have to help – but then I went at it backwards from the stand point of how I feel when I arrive at someone’s house – and I would love to keep busy by helping – super cool, thanks!

We try to keep things pretty simple around here. More often than not, no extended family. Cinnamon rolls for breakfast, deer roast and homemade mac-n-cheese for dinner. It makes the day go way more relaxing.

I went into Pier 1 the other day just to window shop and of course all the Christmas stuff was out!! I absolutely love decorating for Christmas, I started to daydream about a whole new setup for my trees (yes I have two for my 1 bedroom apartment). Then I remembered how almost everything that I have for Christmas decorations were almost exclusively given as gifts or hand me downs because I was never able to afford any decorations at Christmas. It may seem silly and trivial to some people, but those decorations really remind me of Christ’s love and God’s provision because they were all given to me out of love and not bought out of holiday excess. Praying that you and I both continue to focus on our provisions and not our lack this holiday season!

…….and that’s when I lost my Jesus. Right!!!!!! Best of intentions until we can’t find the scotch tape. You spoke at a mom’s luncheon I was at a few years back and it was sooooo good. (I bought each of the books you brought). Love them.

This is incredibly timely, helpful advice! The hardest part of Christmas planning is outings for the family. Coordinating everybody’s diverse ideas of fun is HARD. What is basically important to me is that we are together. We tried doing a family day in San Francisco last year and coordinating three cars and 12 of us was a nightmare. I’m still not sure if it was worth it.

Extended family Christmas is always spent at my sister’s house. Their house was built for family occasions and the location is the best for all of us. I think this book would be perfect for her and hubby, as she has a habit of taking on most of it and I know that causes a lot of stress on her.

I am loving the ideas you have for de-stressing Christmas. I am 68 years old and both of my daughter-in-loves have families with more than one set of parents to work dates around. One of them lives out of town so it is difficult to get much assistance with her since when they arrive in town they have to spend time with her family too. The other one does help some but she has 4 children and 2 sets of parents in town too. You have already shown me some simple ways that I can get a little bit of assistance and not be all stressed out on the day we celebrate Christmas, which is never on Christmas Day. That is okay with me since whatever day my family is together and we are celebrating together is Christmas to me. My husband and I just relax on Dec. 25 which isn’t a bad thing. I would love to win your book.

Loved the ideas – especially the help list. I always get that question from guests as they come in, but at that point it’s just stressful to try and think of something. Then, to give instructions as well is hard for me.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience (who wouldn’t lose their Jesus when you realize you don’t have any more scotch tape?) and for giving the concrete, easy tips to de-stress Christmas events!

My mom was hospitalized with chest pain last Christmas, trying to make everything perfect and getting overwhelmed. Praise Jesus, she’s fine. But it was a wake-up call for us and I’ll be sharing your list with her!

I AM so doing this this year. In years past we have actually chosen to go away for Christmas to avoid the family stress. I so want to have a wonderful, Christ centered Christmas this year. We will be starting on this planning phase before the end of October. Thank you Kathi and all the other ladies in the Wrapped in Grace group!!

A stocking-full of helpful advice. I particularly loved the tips about using technology in our favor. I’m a big fan of Sign Up Genius–but had never thought of using it for family gatherings. I’m actually looking forward to Christmas planning now!

I’m a list maker. I’m great at making lists. The problem is following that list. I love what you’ve posted here. And I’ve learned a few things just by looking at your list. I just need to learn to look at my list! Hopefully, this year will see me doing so. I do love that you shop online and I’d forgotten about all the “different” things that Etsy has. I need to look at that this year. Thank you for this post! You’ve given me some great ideas.

All great ideas but especially love idea of creating mission statement….now that child is grown, I’m trying to get back to the sacredness of the holiday, and making the “family ornaments” depict the true meaning of Christmas.

Thanks for all the great ideas, especially the list of what others can do to help. So many times I feel like my to do list is overwhelming and I never know what to give someone else to do until I’m too stressed to think about it.

I would like to make my mission for this Christmas to experience the fullness of Joy in Christ’s coming even in the midst of grieving. I want to sense the anticipation of generations beforehand looking for God’s redemptive ONE. I want to rejoice anew in the fulfillment of HIS promises. I want to celebrate with ALL the King who came to dwell among us, to teach and lead us to the FATHER. I want to celebrate HIS coming again! I think that planning is a GREAT idea for accomplishing my mission. THANKS for all your help!

These ideas are all wonderful!! I come from a large family and we have a large family (9 kids!!!!) so the holidays can get super stressful. I need to get this book to help me have a stress less holiday this year

This is perfect timing! I was just starting to feel the stress of Christmas, as Kathy said, I had already lost my Jesus, and we are in OCTOBER! So, I am trying to live with Grace, and I can’t do that STRESSED OUT. I have four children, and we love Christmas, but I feel like I lead by example, especially as a single mom, and I want to have a meaningful, Heavenly blessed Christ centered Christmas this year. So thank you again Kathy for the ideas, and especially the perspective. It is amazing how God uses to reach so many of us…to reach me. Have a blessed Holiday.

Thanks for the great advice. Good timing. I am starting to do my shopping for Christmas and been thinking about how to get it all done while keeping my sanity and being a gracious mom and wife!! Getting organized will definitely help maintain my focus!

Awesome blog!! Lots of helpful ideas I had never heard before! Especially Prime Pantry and Google Express!! Takes the stress out of cooking!! I always make 5 trips to the grocery store for things I forgot I needed or didn’t know I was out of until I went to start cooking! Thank you so much!!

I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas time again! Last year we felt like we missed a lot (new baby in NICU), but our family helped us celebrate even if it wasn’t on Dec 25! Wanting this year to be special without adding the stress of “perfection!”

Where have you been all my life? Sooooooooooo glad I stumbled on your blog via Proverbs 31 ministry this morning. I was in the middle of worrying how I was going to pull everything together, again, this year without killing myself. Love all of your tips and excitement. Can’t wait to put them in place. Thanks so much.

I too and hoping for a sacred Christmas. At our Canadian Thanksgiving, I shared with my large family, I won’t be buying large gifts this year, but joining the adult gift exchange. I am hoping to have small meaningful gifts under the tree for adults and will continue to take the younger grandchildren to a community play. Last year as a family we donated $10.00 per person including all 12 grandchildren to charity of their choice, Envelopes provided. It was the highlight of Christmas. With some much need in the world I hope we can increase the giving this year.

Kathy, I need your book this year, more than ever! My divorce was final 9/22/15, and the wheels have completely come off! I am already subscribed to your e-mails, and hope you choose me for your prize packages. You rock!

Can I say it? yes, i can… HELP! I love Christmas and I love Jesus and I love family and I want all to harmoniously feel loved during this season. sigh… I need help. Been doing this loving and getting too busy and too stressed thing too long!
Sincerely, I say: HELP with this! I would love to get the help from your book!

Great suggestions for less stress. It always seems that those last minute “got to have for the Holidays” goodies and desserts are the things that always get me. So grateful for the suggestions. Keep them coming!!!

I am so greatful for these posts about the holidays and less stress! I really, really want to enjoy the holidays this year and spend time with my family. I don’t want to complain and just wish for it to fly by. I’m definitely going to add the idea of a list into my planning.

Kathi, THANK YOU!! I love,love,love all of your suggestions. I have problems with crowds too and have used Amazon for the past couple of years but didn’t think about Etsy. And “Signupgenius.com” that is just genius!

Kathi, I have just been introduced to your blog through Glynnis Whitwer and the Wrapped In Grace project (love that title!). I have signed up for your blog and look forward to reading more. Thanks for sharing how you tried to get your heart prepared for Christmas and then poor planning pushed you to “lose your Jesus” — been there too many times!! I like that you recognized that to “keep my head in the right space, …. goes a long way to giving my heart some protection”. It can be such a balancing act. Thanks for some tips to do just that! – Rene’

For the past several years I have dreaded the Christmas season. It is so busy & overwhelming that I just wasn’t enjoying it at all. Thank you for the wonderful ideas. Last year I actually did most of my shopping online which helped a bunch. I hope to put your other suggestions to good use. Maybe I’ll be able to find more joy this season.

Thank you for the awesome suggestions. I am looking so forward to the holiday’s this year. I am looking forward to enjoying family and having a peaceful, Christmas where everyone is happy just being together.

Great advice, which I will be putting into practice this year. I have plans to make Christmas cards and I have most of my supplies, and plan on getting the rest by the end of this month. I am making my gift list for my family and I will be doing most of my buying online

Planning for Christmas has been on my heart for the past few days. It’s our first Christmas with two babies and it want to be completely mindful and present this season. Thank you for such wonderful strategy!! xoxo

Love the suggestions to make Christmas easier, and less stressful. This will be my first Christmas without my Mom so I have to find a way to honor her memory and make our first Christmas without her as good as I possibly can for my dad.

Thank you for writing a book about keeping the stress out of Christmas! Sounds really amazing! As a pastor’s wife of 38 years things can get really crazy this time of year with all the different invites to attend from the many classes and groups at our church. Sometimes my head and heart are spinning with the whole process, not wanting to slight anyone’s attention yet knowing God comes first and keeping all that in prospective is quite a challenge. Also your sons and their families live away from us and trying to be with family during the holidays is always challenging. Praying more than ever that this year I can put some of your ideas to use to clearly remember and follow the reason for the season! God Bless!!

As I experience the season I make notations in the calendar for next year as to what to do for the next Christmas. For example. Last year after we were set up our large 10′ artificial tree and went to plug er in, only half the lights worked. After spending way to much time trying fix them we decided to go shopping- on a Saturday. Bad idea. So fast forward 10 1/2 months and I’m looking at Christmas trees because I had a reminder that I put on my calendar last year. Doing this saves me time and stress so I can enjoy what is really important. Getting ready to receive the gift of Christmas.

Love your suggestions, especially the thinking early and the help list. Definitely going to put those to use. Your book sounds amazing… I need to cut some stress out of my life and I think this would definitely help me!

Thank you for the advice…I so want to be organized for the season..but often fall short. My mission statement is posted on my fridge, so that it remains in front of me this year. Looking forward to an unstressful Christmas!

Great ideas. Thanks. Several years ago, I started giving money instead of gifts to my adult children. I really didn’t find that very satisfying or exciting. About 5 years ago, the opportunity for a 6 weeks at the beach presented itself and since we all love beach time, that is now the BIG gift and I can pick up smaller things that I know they will like. I’m looking at your book for couples as a great option for a gift. Everyone likes sparkle in their marriage. Have a wondrous Christmas.

Thank-you for the practical advice. I really like the idea of a mission statement. So often i can lose sight of what is important, it is a good idea to have a place to focus. Thank-you also for admitting it can be as practical as not punching anyone or just surviving 🙂

All Great ideas!!!!! Thank you for sharing. It always seems to get crazy around the Christmas season no matter how hard I try to plan. So many things to do at home, at church, and socially. Here’s to a stressless Christmas!

Kathi,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I cannot thank you enough for you insight and wonderful suggestions! I’m one of those procrastinators that wait to the last minute and think I can get it all done (by myself with out help!) Your advice and guidance is so refreshing, knowing with some simply steps I can also “Plan the Stress out of Christmas”! I can so relate to “losing my Jesus” you my new friend are a blessing. I thank the Lord for allowing me to find you through Glynnis Whitwer.
Again, thank you so much!
Your new friend, ?
Veronica

I am known as a perfectionist. I even intentionally left out Christmas tree last year just to be stress free!!! But I now felt I left out Jesus because of that. I know I do not need a tree to acknowledge Jesus…but still. The same with Christmas cards. I stopped doing that. I felt I became a scrooge. I even tried to talk the idea with family not to exchange gifts because no matter what- every year their idea of gifts become more and more expensive. I am at end of my ropes. I need my Christmas spirit back!

I am a beginner in the “asking for help” category. I have come to the realization that I’m denying someone the opportunity to bless me when I reject offers to help. Your idea of intentionally making a list of chores to share will help me as I recover from being a blessing hogger. Thank you!

Thank you! I LOVE the elfster website…wow, that will be great for our out of town friends. So fun! I have my playlist too…and it goes great until it hits on some slightly obscure artist who does his own rendition of Santa is Coming to Town (courtesy of my DH) and it ruins the mood!!

I love the part of planning to have a sacred Christmas only to run out of tape! Some really good tips. Going to try implementing the help list. I’m always at a loss when people ask. Also if you do need to go to the grocery store the week or two before Christmas, go as early as possible. I would drop my son off at the bus and head straight there at 7:15. Practically had the store to myself which is good since I wouldn’t want anyone to see me that early in the day;)

Thank you for these very practical tips for making Christmas a more relaxed, fun and enjoyable time of year! Truly that is what it should be! I need God’s help to not stress, but rather to enjoy the wonder of His amazing gift to us. <3